Maria Esposito: "I am simply Maria, always" At the cinema comes "I am Rosa Ricci", prequel of "Mare Fuori"
"Io sono Rosa Ricci" is the title of the film starring Maria Esposito, a spin-off and prequel focused on the character that made her famous in Mare fuori, centering on her family’s story. "Io sono Rosa Ricci" is more than just a title, it’s a manifesto. A manifesto that naturally makes one wonder: who is Maria Esposito, then? "I am simply Maria, always," replies the actress, originally from Naples and born in 2003, whose first experience in front of the camera was precisely for Mare fuori in 2023, while her cinematic debut came in 2024 with Criature by Cécile Allegra. "‘I am Maria’ is a phrase I carry with me every day, to remind myself that I am just me. Not Maria Esposito, not Rosa Ricci, not the famous girl. I am simply Maria, as I always have been, and I want to remain that. So for me, 'I am Maria' still means: I am a child."
Maria Esposito, interview with the star of "Io sono Rosa Ricci"
Indeed, going back five years in time, "Io sono Rosa Ricci" also shows a more personal and intimate side of the young actress, particularly regarding her relationship with her father, Don Salvatore Ricci, played again by actor and singer Raiz. "Io sono Rosa Ricci portrays the humanity of the character," explains Esposito. "It’s the key to seeing her in a way that hasn’t happened before, in none of the five seasons of Mare fuori. The film captures the true soul of Rosa." That soul is also enriched by an action component brought by director Lyda Patitucci, who made her debut in 2023 with Come pecore in mezzo ai lupi, a thriller blending family, crime, and violence.
"Io sono Rosa Ricci", plot and interview with director Lyda Patitucci
Themes and stylistic elements that Patitucci also carries into "Io sono Rosa Ricci", allowing her to both expand a world already familiar from Mare fuori and weave in a completely new background. "I wanted to incorporate very specific references from a known world, while bringing it closer to my own cinematic language that I’ve developed as a viewer and am continuing to cultivate in my work." For this reason, according to the director, in "Io sono Rosa Ricci" you can find elements of western, action, but also a certain touch of romance. This is where co-star Andrea Arcangeli comes in, not originally from the Mare fuori universe, but connected to the project for two reasons: he had already collaborated with Patitucci on her cinematic debut, and his brother, Antonio Arcangeli, worked on the series’ music, motivating him to explore the world from within.
Maria Esposito stays grounded
Romance aside, both Esposito and Arcangeli immersed themselves in the action elements that Lyda Patitucci brought to the film—including Raiz, who finally got to fully showcase just how ruthless Salvatore Ricci is. "I didn’t struggle with the action scenes," explains Maria Esposito. "I’m someone who throws herself into things; I enjoyed integrating physical work as well." Her body had her tattoos removed, the real ones she wears daily in the series. And at the end, the emblematic tattoo on her arm appears - real both on and off screen - which, as the actress points out, serves in the film to illustrate "the character’s transformation." One thing remains unchanged: Maria Esposito’s intention, despite the spotlight, to "keep her feet on the ground."